flat Blog: https://podcast.punxsy.k12.pa.us/users/13fairman_christophe/ | About Me | Paper Birch | Tree Poem | Hornbeam | | Classification of Marine Bacteria | Bio Molecules | Catalase | Photosynthesis Webquest | Chromatography | Light Intensity | Yeast Respiration Analysis | DNA Replication Model Project | Class Traits Blog: https://podcast.punxsy.k12.pa.us/users/13fairman_christophe/


About Me


Greetings ya'll! I'm a country boy and I really don't like towns and cities. I enjoy dirt bikes, hunting, archery, and anything with a motor in it. My favorite thing to do is definitely ride dirt bikes. I like riding them, working on them, and reading about them. That's why the time period between December and March is a very sad time because there is snow on the ground and I can't ride. However, I also am very interested in trucks and am considering becoming a diesel mechanic. Video games don't interest me too much because I'd rather be outside doing something.
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Paper Birch

Betula Papyrifera
The Paper Birch tree is deciduous.
It has simple leaves that are alternately arranged.
Its twigs are slender and are a dull red-brown color.
The Paper Birch is a member of the Betula species, with white, papery, often peeling bark.
Paper Birch is used commercially to make pulp and paper.
It provides cover for deer and moose.
Some organisms that infect it are the bronze birch borer, the forest tent caterpillar,and the birch leafminor. In the late 1930's and 1940's, the population of Paper Birch was damaged by what was called the birch dieback. During this time, a large amount of root mortality occurred, which was blamed on environmental conditions.
The redpoll, pine siskin, and chickadee are all birds that feed on the seeds from the Paper Birch.
The Paper Birch is native to the norther part of North America and is found in the northern part of the U.S. In Pennsylvania, it is only found in the norther part of the state.
When alive, the Paper Birch doesn't tolerate deep shade. When it flowers, it often starts in late April or early May.
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http://na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/betula/papyrifera.htm
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=14
http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/trees/betpap01.htm

Tree Poem

Betula
Who is white, black, and average in size
Who is the brother of Kenai birch
Who loves deer, moose, and chickadees
Who feels heat, soil, and the bronze birch borer
Who needs sun, deep roots, and water
Who gives shade, cover, and paper
Who fears the forest tent caterpillar, birch dieback, and the birch leafminor
Who would like to see sunlight
Who shares pulp
Who is slender
Who is a resident of the northern part of the U.S.
papyrifera

Hornbeam

Carpinus Caroliniana
The Hornbeam is Deciduous.
Its leaves are simple and are arranged alternatly.
Commercially, the hornbeam is not used but it is very good for tool handles, levers, wedges, and mallets.
Beavers use the hornbeam's wood for a habitat.
There are few organisms that infect the hornbeam. However, it is susceptible to fires because it burns easier than most hardwoods.
It provides essential food for gray squirrels. Other animals such as the ruffed grouse also eat its fruit.
The hornbeam is native to most of the eastern U.S. and is native to Pennsylvania.
When in an area that is being logged, hornbeam is considered a weed.
hornbeam1.jpg
-picture taken by Erutuon from http://www.zoo-m.com/flickr-storm/
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Hornbeam/hornbeam.htm
http://na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/carpinus/caroliniana.htm

Classification of Marine Bacteria

1. How charming! You are Lamprocyclas maritalis!
This attractive microbe is a type of radiolarian that constructs beautiful, complex shells of silica (glass). Like you, L. maritalis also stays up late; this microbe actively preys day and night. L. maritalis also shares your sense of organization and tidiness. Its cell contents are packaged in organelles; for example, its DNA is neatly contained within a nucleus. Like your straight hair, this microbe has straight extensions from its shell that help protect it from predators.

2. A. When you answer one question, it directs you to another question that determines what microbe you are like.
B. To discover what people you are similar to.
C. It uses what you like, how you act, and what you enjoy.
D. Elphidium
E. Prochlorococcus marinus

Bio Molecules

What kinds of biomolecules are in each of the food substances you tested?
I tested carrots. In the carrots, the only biomolecule was starch.
Do certain biomolecules have the same catalase reactions? Explain.
Yes, certain biomolecules do have the same catalase reaction. Some things like liver, avocado, and apple have the same reactions. This happens because they have certain molecules that are the same in all the foods. This causes the biomolecules to have the same catalase reaction.
What other results did you observe in the class that can be used to make a statement of what you have learned?
When doing the experiments, i noticed that some foods, like the carrot, have very little reaction to any substances. However, foods like the potato and egg are reactive to many substances. This shows that different foods have different molecules that will react to some things but not to others. This has to do with the molecules ability to form bonds and not to form bonds.
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Present = 1
Absent = 2

Catalase


Discuss your results from the activity, discuss your analysis of the activity from the spreadsheet (what did you learn, what was surprising, what connections can you make between temperature and enzyme activity and the presence of catalase in certain foods?)Show the chart that you created.
From the activity, I learned that carrots are reactive to few chemicals, this is the food that i tested. I discovered that they have very little reaction to peroxide. I also realize that sometimes the temperature will make a difference, but it is usually not that large of a difference. The foods like liver, ground beef, and cannelini beans definitely have catalase because they have a big reaction with all the different temperatures. I realized that the temperature can make a difference because sometimes when the temperature is changed in the enzymes, they will not have a reaction compared to what the temperature was normally.
Show the chart that you created.
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Develop a question about the catalase activity. Create a quality question about enzymes or enzyme action, etc. Either research to find the answer or use available materials to experiment to find the answer. If you research, list your sources. If you experiment, outline your experiment and explain your results.
How do enzymes react to temperature changes?
When the temperature of an enzyme changes, the shape can change. When this happens, it is called denaturing. Because it changes the shape of the enzyme, it can greatly effect the usefulness of the enzyme. It can make a reaction nearly impossible or not possible at all. Once the enzyme is affected by a temperature change, the damage is permanent and irreversible. The molecules will either have a hard time fitting in the enzyme or there will not be a molecule that fits the enzyme, and it will be completely useless.
http://www.lew-port.com/10712041113402793/lib/10712041113402793/Animations/Enzyme_activity.html

Photosynthesis Webquest

1. What is photosynthesis?
Phtosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.
2. What types of organisms carry out photosynthesis? List 3 groups.
Autotrophs carry out photosynthesis. Three groups are plants, bacteria, and algae.
3. What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis? What is the translation for the chemical equation?
The chemical equation for photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2. This translates to 6 molecules water plus 6 molecules carbon dioxide yields one molecule glucose plus six molecules oxygen.
4. Look at your equation in number 3 and answer the following questions:
a. What are the raw materials or reactants needed to carry out photosynthesis?
The raw materials are 6 molecules water and 6 molecules carbon dioxide.
b. What are the products of photosynthesis?
This creates 1 molecule glucose plus 6 molecules of oxygen.
c. What energy source is needed in the reaction?
The energy needed is sunlight.
5. Consider a plant as the photosynthetic organism.
a. In what part of the plant does photosynthesis occur?
Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts.
b. What specific cells are involved?
The mesophyll cell is involved.
c. What specific organelle is involved?
Chloroplasts is a specific organelle involved.

6. How does the plant get the raw materials needed for photosynthesis to the plant part where photosynthesis occurs?
The plants can receive water from rain. They can receive oxygen from the area they are in. Humans give off carbon dioxide, and the plants use this during photosynthesis. They then give off oxygen.
7. What is a stoma and of what value is the stoma to the plant in its efforts to carry out photosynthesis?
A stoma is a pore that is found in the leaf. It is an opening that connects the outside to the inside. Carbon dioxide flows in and oxygen flows out through the stoma, which is necessary for photosynthesis.




8. Explore the organelle that is responsible for the process of photosynthesis. What are found inside the organelle and how do these parts aid in the process of photosynthesis?
Chloroplast is the organelle that is responsible. The top part of the membrane is freely permeable to molecules. A smooth inner membrane contains many transporters: membrane proteins that regulate the passage in and out of the chloroplast of small molecules like sugars, proteins, etc. This then leads into a system of thylakoid membranes.
9. What is the first part of photosynthesis called and where does it occur?
The first stage is the light stage, which occurs in the Thylakoid membrane.
10. What exactly happens in the first part of photosynthesis?
In the first part of photosynthesis, the excited chlorophyll molecules drive the photosystems. The electrons then come to a resting state, which excites the photosystems. This produces NADPH.
11. What is the second part of photosynthesis called and where does it happen?
The second part happens in the stroma, which is called the light independent reaction.
12. What happens in the second part of photosynthesis?
In the stroma, molecules are moved and converted as they prepare for the third part. Then, the stroma exchange gases, such as carbon dioxide, through the bottom of the leaf.
13. Are the two parts of photosynthesis connected? If so, explain the connection.
Yes, because the light stage produces NADPH and ATP, which are needed to make CO2 in the second part.
14. Does the chemical equation that you listed in number 3 tell the entire story of the process of photosynthesis? Why or why not?
No because sunlight is one of the main ingredients needed and it is not listed in the equation.

Chromatography

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In the lab, there were some plants that had the same colors and RF values, meaning they have some pigments that include the same chlorophyll. It is evident that the pigment is the same in plant b, f, and a because in pigment 1, the color was the same. It is also noticeable that plant a and f have the same chlorophyll in pigment 2 because they are the same color and have very similar RF values.

Light Intensity

Wavelength
Number of ATP
Percent of ATP
400
3
13%
450
1
3%
500
1
1.5%
550
1
3%
600
1
4
650
3
17%
700
1
1
750
1
0.6%
Light Intensity=40 Time=1-2 minutes
Light intensity affects how sunlight helps a plant grow. Energy and wavelength is how the frequency of waves varies with the wavelength. There will be a low frequency if there is a long wavelength.

Yeast Respiration Analysis

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Graph of data
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Bread dough

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Before
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After

My balloon had a circumference of 11.5 cm, a radius of 1.8 cm, and a volume of 48.8 cubic cm.

1. State 2 clear, concise conclusions derived from the analysis of the results from the experiments in your class.
One conclusion is that yeast reacts better with warm water than with cold water. Another conclusion is that they yeast emits carbon dioxide as it reacts. This creates bubbles in bread, and was evident when it filled the balloon with gas in our experiment.

2. What was the dependent and independent variables in the experiment? Explain.
The dependent variables in the experiment were how much the yeast caused the bread to rise. This was effected by the independent variables, such as the sugar solution, the amount of yeast, the temperature of the water, and the amount of oil used in the bread.

3. According to the experimental data, what kind of environment do yeast prefer? How did the sugar concentration change the result? Explain.
According to the data, the yeast prefers to have more sugar and a warm environment. When there was more sugar, the yeast created more gas, causing the bread to rise more. This is because yeast feeds on sugar. When the yeast ferments the sugars, it creates carbon dioxide. The more sugar, this more gas is created. This means that the yeast prefers an environment with more sugar.

4. How did the amount of rising change with the different types of sugar solutions used?
When there was a higher percentage of sugar solution used, they yeast caused the bread to rise more. Yeast reacts better when there is more sugar for it to feed on, so when there is a higher percentage of sugar, the bread will rise more.

5. What kind of respiration did the yeast carry out in the experiment? Explain.
The yeast carried out anaerobic respiration. This is because there was no oxygen present during respiration. When the yeast ferments, it creates alcohol fermentation. When this happens, it creates carbon dioxide and ethanol gases. These gases cause bread to rise when yeast is used in the dough.

DNA Replication Model Project

DNA_rep_1.jpg
In the first step, the hydrogen bonds of the DNA are being broken. This will allow the DNA to be separated.
In the second step, the DNA is separating.
In the third step, the strands separate.
In the fourth step, the chromosomes pair up with matching chromosomes.
In the fifth step, the two strands become complete separate DNA molecules.

Class Traits

1. There are 2 different types of thumbs. There is straight, which is dominant, and curved, which is the recessive trait. According to the numbers, the dominant trait is more common. For example, out of 24 people, 17 had a straight thumbs and in another poll, 15 out of 21 had straight thumbs. Another trait is mid-digit hair, which is the dominant trait while not having mid-digit hair is the recessive trait. Even though mid-digit hair is dominant, it is more common for people not to have mid-digit hair. In a poll of 24 people, only 7 had mid-digit hair and in another poll of 20 people, only 6 had mid-digit hair.
2. Some conclusions I can come to is that our class had similar results to what the web site had. Like the web site, we had more people, both boys and girls, that had straight thumbs rather than curved thumbs. Straight thumbs are the dominant trait so that is what is expected. The other trait, mid-digit hair, was also similar in both the web site and in our class. Even though having mid-digit hair is dominant, it is more common not to have mid-digit hair than it is to have mid-digit hair. This was what the results showed in both our class and on the web site.
3. One trait that was not on the web site is being able to roll your tongue. Out of the 11 girls in our class, 9 were able to roll their tongue. Out of the 13 boys, 10 were able to roll their tongue. The class total for being able to roll your tongue is 19 out of 24. The dominant trait is being able to roll your tongue. This goes along with the data, as there were more people in the class that were able to roll their tongue than there were people who couldn’t roll their tongue. Another trait is being right handed. In our class, 9 out of 11 girls were right handed while 12 out of 13 boys were right handed. In our class, there were a total of 21 out of 24 people that were right handed. Being right handed is dominant, and this is showed by the data results.
4. I am right handed and so are both of my parents. However, my dad’s father is left-handed. That means my dad’s genotype is either RR or Rr. Both of my mom’s parents are right handed, so her genotype is RR. Both of my parent’s phenotypes are the same because they are both right handed but it is possible that my dad’s genotype is Rr instead of RR like my mom. My phenotype is being right handed, but because my dad’s genotype might be Rr, my genotype is either Rr or RR.